cylinder gap on Pietta

evodude · September 24, 2012, 07:45:16 AM

Perhaps some suggestions from the pards! I own both a 1858 Pietta and a 1858 Uberti and want to use the Uberti cap and ball cylinder as a spare from time to time for the Pietta.The Pietta cylinder is 20 thousandths longer than the Uberti, sooo, when I install the Uberti cylinder on it theres a 26 thousandths cylinder gap at full cock with rearward finger pressure on the cylinder. Although not the acceptable .006 will it still be ok to shoot mostly black powder and occasionally Trail Boss loads out of? OR, should I fabricate a .020 shim to put on the back of the cylinder to tighten it back to .006 on the Pietta? Im guessing that its the only way to make the Uberti cylinder "longer" while in the Pietta.
Second part to this question. I want to get a R&D cylinder conversion- should I get the longer one that fits the Pietta and remove the few thousandths off the Uberti frame, or get the shorter Uberti one and shim it somehow for fittment in the Pietta. Want to avoid buying two of them! Thanks for any suggestions! (or should I just take up golf?!!)

Cliff Fendley · September 24, 2012, 09:17:44 AM

I can't answer your question but Pietta C&B cylinders really don't cost that much last time I checked.

Pettifogger · September 24, 2012, 11:48:45 AM

You are kidding aren't you? Would you use Ford parts on a Chevy? Use the correct parts! GOD I hope that you aren't talking about shooting Trail Boss out of the percussion cylinder.

Blair · September 24, 2012, 04:03:16 PM

Spend the money!
Buy the proper cyilinder, C&B or R&D conversion for each revolver.
They do not interchange in many ways including the OA length.

evodude · September 24, 2012, 05:07:24 PM

After doing a little more measuring with the caliper, Ive come up with the lug on the Pietta being .020 narrower than the Uberti. Thats probably not going to allow the Pietta cylinder to engage properly on the advance in the Uberti, enough of a difference to make me puke up the extra bucks for a R&D. wish the longer cylinder of the Pietta wouldve fit in the Uberti frame, but .017 is a lot when you dont have a hammer! I was hoping to use one R&D cylinder for both guns, that was my end game. Ive read where people were able to switch a cylinder conversion from Pietta to Uberti with no problems, Pietta isnt as consistant as Uberti on their cylinder lengths.

Cliff Fendley · September 24, 2012, 07:21:29 PM

From a production standpoint don't you think if one R&D would fit both they would make and market it that way? Just saying.

Why not just sell one or the other and pick up another gun like the one you choose to keep?

I like to shoot the same brand of certain models so I can carry spare parts with me. Especially if it's a two or three day event.

Just as I do in my own construction business that's why many trucking and excavating companies will be seen running all the same brand machine or trucks. It's not just what they happen to like but it's also more economical to run them that way. Servicing items and spare parts are easier to be kept on hand and in the service trucks.

Plus if you have more than one thing break you can many times make at least one work by trading parts. Hey it has been known to happen.

Coffinmaker · September 24, 2012, 08:40:03 PM

TAKE. UP. GOLF.

Coffinmaker

These are JOKE questions ............ Right?

?

evodude · September 24, 2012, 09:31:38 PM

Nope, Im as serious as a heart attack! Ive got a Pietta 12" pistol, and an Uberti 1858 carbine. Kinda like both guns too much to ditch one, I read on a post that a gent was able to switch cylinders readily back and forth. Im assuming the newer Piettas must have a cylinder more along the lines of the Ubertis, 2.000 or so as opposed to 2.020 on my older gun. I was toying with the idea of fitting a R&D cylinder to the Uberti, and also using it for the Pietta. Guess Im answering my own question, "if the lugs dont fit, I gotta quit!"

Flint · September 28, 2012, 03:42:02 PM

The current Uberti cylinder is larger to accomodate the new frame for the "conversions" They used to be the same diameter as a Pietta.

The Pietta is longer by the mentioned .020. No way to accomodate with a shim behind an Uberti as the hand needs to reach in order to rotate the cylinder. Very much older Ubertis had the .020 longer cylinders, by the way, I have an older Uberti pistol and a revolving rifle a Pietta cylinder will fit..

Howell/R&D has a different thickness backplate to accomodate Uberti to Pietta lengths, Kirst changes the cylinder length.

Note that older Piettas had a narrower locking slot, and won't work in an Uberti, or a newer Pietta.

I have both Piettas and Ubertis, and I am careful as to which cylinder fits in which gun, and NEVERr take both brands to the range at the same time.

I also have spare cylinders for both, and have them stamped P or U to match the brand. I have both Howell and Kirst cylinders, also marked (by the maker) for fit.

evodude · September 28, 2012, 10:18:47 PM

Finally! I got an answer to my question! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to give me proper guidence through this black powder haze, Flint. Because of the longer cylinder and thinner lug of the Pietta, I guess that .026 barrel gap would be asking for trouble by using the Uberti cylinder. Guess Ill have to get two seperate R&D cylinders. OUCH!!

evodude · September 30, 2012, 10:07:32 PM

I got a R&D 45 LC converter for the Uberti, because it is easier to make the cylinder longer for the Pietta than the housing of the Uberti longer to accept the R&D for the Pietta. What I did was to put a .016 shim inside of the cap- the part that has the firing pins, around the arbor. It went from 2.001 (Uberti) to 2.017, proper length for the Pietta. Still had the thinner lug of the Pietta, but doesnt seem to matter much, I guess the forcing cone straightens out any alignment issues with the bullets. I had a LONG session at the range with the chronagraph today, shooting both Triple 7 and Trail Boss loads. Velocities ranged from 750 to 1200 fps with both round balls and 160 grn FP bullets- no issues with leading, the 160's have a grease groove. Accuracy was good with all I shot, and wasnt spraying lead out of the sides, I guess the timing is close enough between the two to call it good. SOOO.... it appears that the one R&D for Ubertis will fit the bill for both Ubertis and Piettas if the shim is used. Thought all the pards that shoot 1858's would be interested in my little experiment.